The present invention relates to packaging, and more particularly to point-of-sale product packages.
A wide variety of products intended for retail sale are packaged in packaging that includes plastic components. One of the most common forms of plastic point-of-sale packages is a blister package. A typical blister package includes a shaped plastic blister that forms the main cavity of the package and a backer panel that closes the cavity. The backer panel is often sealed to the blister, for example, by adhesive to enclose the product within the cavity. The backer panel may be formed from paperboard, plastic, aluminum or other similar materials. Because of the use of a paperboard backer panel, a blister package has the potential to be a relatively low cost packaging solution. The amount of plastic used to contain the product is relatively small and the backer panel can be sized to provide ample space for printed content. A conventional blister package includes a plastic component (or blister) having a peripheral flange that is face-sealed to a paperboard card or sandwiched between a pair of paperboard panels. In some cases, the two paperboard panels are a single piece of paperboard folded along an edge. In other cases, they are two separate panels. Various attempts have been made to provide recloseable blister packages. In one type of recloseable blister package, the blister is formed with an integral door. With this construction, the blister remains sealed to the paperboard and a door within the blister is opened. In another type of recloseable blister package, the blister is secured to the paperboard in a way that allows the blister to pivot away from the paperboard. For example, one edge of the blister may be permanently sealed to the paperboard and the other three edges may be joined only by a peelable adhesive. This allows the blister to open while remaining joined to the paperboard. In another example, one edge of the blister may be adhered to the paperboard while another portion of the blister is snap-fitted to a portion of the paperboard leaving at least a portion of the blister without an adhesive or mechanical connection to the paper board. The snap-fit portion can be fitted or unfitted allowing the package to be opened and reopened a number of times. In yet another example, the paperboard panel closing the blister may include a door, such as a perforated region that can be opened to gain access to the interior of the blister.
Another common form of plastic point-of-sale package is a clamshell package. A typical clamshell package includes a pair of formed plastic parts (often “halves”) that are joined along a hinge. The parts can be closed about the hinge to entrap the product to be packaged. Clamshell packages vary dramatically in design and configuration. For example, some clamshell packages are sealed shut to protect the contents of the package until it is opened, while other clamshell packages are resealable. With sealed clamshell packages, it is often necessary to at least partially destroy the package to gain access to the contents. In a resealable configuration, the clamshell can be formed with contours that permit the two clamshell parts to be friction interfitted in a way that holds the parts together in a closed configuration about the packaged contents. It is not uncommon to incorporate paper or paperboard inserts into clamshell packages. For example, information and other content can be printed on an insert that is enclosed within the clamshell.
In some applications, a hybrid clamshell package is formed by securing paperboard panels or other similar materials around the peripheral edges of the clamshell. The hybrid package provides, among other things, the added advantage of additional space for additional printed content. Although it enjoys some benefits, the presence of the hinge in the clamshell presents a challenge to hybrid package construction. Conventional constructions provide two options for dealing with the hinge. In one type of construction, the hinge is trapped between the paperboard panels. This provides a strong package because the clamshell is joined to the paperboard around its entire periphery. However, because the hinge is positioned between the paperboard panels, opening and closing of the package forces the paperboard apart, which can cause the paperboard to buckle and tear near the hinge. This problem can be exacerbated with repeated opening and closing of the blister. The peeling and tearing of the paperboard can ultimately break the connection between the paperboard and the blister, which can weaken the package and impact its aesthetic appearance. The second type of hybrid construction includes paperboard panels that are shaped so that they do not entrap the hinge. This prevents the issues of buckling and tearing discussed above, but provides a somewhat weaker package because the clamshell and paperboard panels are not laminated along the hinge.
In order to overcome the issues associated with the weakening, buckling or tearing of the paperboard (as well as to provide other advantages), some hybrid clamshell packages have been developed to include multiple hinges. For example, a multiple hinge package is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,931,148 to Hansen. In these types of packages there is a hinge that allows the clamshell package to be secured together in paperboard and another hinge that allows the package to open and close without disturbing the paperboard.
There are a variety of types of composite packages in which the paperboard and plastic components are combined in different ways. For example, “book-style” composite packages are known to include an inner plastic clam shell that forms a compartment to contain the article(s) to be packaged and an outer paperboard cover that covers the clam shell. The clam shell and paperboard each include an integral “spine.” The spines are generally coextensive to allow the package to be opened and closed along one edge in a book-like manner. Book-style composite packages provide the benefits of being easily recloseable and relatively stable constructions, but they can be relatively expensive to manufacture. Further, the paperboard spine, which spans the thickness of the package, may be too flexible to provide confident registration between the clam shell portions, particularly after repeated opening and closing.
Packages without the coextensive paperboard and plastic spines have been developed to address several issues including the challenge presented by the book-style composite packages described above. These packages include hinged paperboard panels with openings that seat two opposing plastic components that meet to form a product cavity when the paperboard panels are folded together along the hinge.
Although existing composite packages are suitable for many applications, there remains a desire for a stable and easily reclosable package that is less expensive to manufacture and provides a wide range of packaging options.